CHALK streams on Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are failing to meet the required “good ecological status”, a report has warned.

The report from WWF-UK has revealed the health of more than three quarters of England’s unique chalk streams are in a shocking state.

It comes ten years after the Environment Agency set out its vision for chalk streams in the UK and stresses the need for the Government to take action before the effects are irreversible.

The chalk aquifer – the engine room of the chalk stream – makes up 70 per cent of the public drinking water supply in south-east England and the report found that it is classed as in poor quantitative health, with phosphate and nitrates at levels that pose a risk to drinking water supplies.

The report also shows the River Itchen is failing to achieve conservation targets.

Dr Rose O’Neill, water policy manager of WWF-UK and report author, said: “This report shows clearly that something urgently needs to be done to restore our chalk streams, starting from the top with clear Government leadership and fit-for-purpose regulation of abstraction, sewage and agricultural pollution.

“Chalk streams are a unique ecosystem and so we have a special responsibility to protect them. Yet 77% of our chalk streams are not in good health and only 12 have protected status. Progress over the past 10 years has lacked the pace, scale and urgency required.”

David Nussbaum, chief executive of WWF-UK, said: “The majority of the world’s chalk streams are found in England, and are a quintessential part of the English countryside. They are havens for wildlife such as otters, water voles and mayfly. The threats they face are significant: over-abstraction, pollution from industry, agriculture and households and poor management. “However, there is an opportunity to reverse the damage being done to these unique places, which we have set out in our Manifesto for Chalk Streams.

“We hope that whichever party leads the next government, they put protection of our water environment on the agenda and bring forward action to restore the health of our chalk streams.”

The State of England’s Chalk Streams report highlights the activity and progress that has been made over the past ten years, such as the return of otters to many chalk streams and the achievements of conservationists such as rivers and wildlife trusts restoring stretches of chalk stream and campaigning for change.

This includes WWF’s partnership with Coca-Cola Great Britain and Coca-Cola Enterprises, which aims to restore and protect English rivers.

Charles Rangeley-Wilson, a passionate chalk stream conservationist and contributor to The State of England’s Chalk Streams report, said: “It took millions of years to form the rolling chalk hills of England and tens of thousands more to form the chalk-streams these hills give rise to. Over centuries these gentle streams were enriched with the history of a living landscape. But now, in only a few decades, we have taken these unique rivers to the edge of existence. They are our very own burning rainforest. It is up to us to put the fires out.”